Old Long Since
by Just 2 Dream of You
Summary: One-shot: It's New Year's Eve and Kurama has a special surprise for a certain ferry girl.


Disclaimer: I don't own YYH

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Old Long Since

X -x-x-x-x- X

**New York City: December 31, 2009, 11:57 pm**

There was most likely half a million people filling the streets of Times Square. They came from all over America, as well as around the world. They all came for one solitary reason; To watch the ball drop on New Year's Eve.

It was three minutes before the countdown would begin and the noise was reaching a fever pitch. Everyone was chattering, whooping, and screaming. In the midst of the large crowd stood a man and a woman. A certain red-headed kitsune and a cerulean haired deity.

Kurama and Botan.

They both had on winter coats and gloves. Neither had any hats on because it wasn't that cold. Surprisingly for New York, it was only twenty degrees. They had decided to travel to New York for New Year's because what better place than that? The whole group had come, including Hiei, surprisingly. Something about Kuwabara and Yukina in a hotel room sparked his interest. The others were away in the crowd somewhere, leaving Kurama and Botan alone together. Just like he wanted.

Kurama looked down at Botan and smiled. It had been a year since they had started seeing each other. They had gotten so close it was amazing that it hadn't happened sooner. It was like both of them had a piece missing and only the other filled it. Kurama was surprised how easy it was to open up to her. Usually he was calm and collected, not letting anyone see what was going on in his head, never showing too much emotion. But with Botan he found it easier to show more than just the cool Youko Kurama, but be warmer and relaxed. He also found it easier to talk to her than anybody else. They would spend hours just chatting away about anything.

Then there was the first time they kissed. He remembered it was after their fifth date. Things had gone well, just dinner and a movie, nothing too special. He had walked her to her door and they stood for a few awkward moments just staring at each other. He wondered if she wanted him to. Or maybe she didn't. It didn't really matter because before he could think, his body had leaned in of its' own accord. Their lips met and that was all she wrote.

From that moment on their kisses became more and more frequent, up until last night where they spent an hour and a half making out before retreating to the bedroom.

Yes, the relationship was perfect. Except for one thing; Neither had said those three special words. Kurama had spent countless nights worrying about how he should tell her, if he should, did she feel the same? It wasn't until he got injured on a mission, very close to his heart, that he realized she must feel the same way. What else should he think when he woke up to her crying at his bedside?

It was after he had healed when they truly showed each other how they felt. How their bodies danced together showed how they felt with no need for words. That was the first time they made love and it was three months ago.

Then, about a week before New Year's, Kurama was walking down the street. He looked over to his side and saw a jewelry store. There sat in the window a diamond ring. It wasn't flashy or huge, but it was big. Probably a two carat. He just kept staring at it, feeling his heart rate increase. He didn't know what had possessed him, but that day he walked out with a diamond ring in his pocket.

And here he was with it in his pocket again. He swallowed and looked at the clock. Two minutes before midnight. He nudged Botan and she looked up at him with a smile. He smiled back and held her hand. Her eyes locked with his and she caressed his hand underneath his leather glove. He let go and reached into his coat pocket. Her eyes studied his actions before he pulled out a small dark blue box. Her eyes shot to it and her whole face contracted into a mix of shock and something else he couldn't pin-point. He gathered up his courage and opened the box. There sat the most beautiful diamond ring she had seen. Sure, it wasn't superstar quality, but in that moment it was better than anything any celebrity could pull off.

He could see the tears welling in her eyes as she stared at the ring. He felt a little unsure and self-conscious in that moment. Were those tears of joy, or was she crying because she was going to say no? She looked up at him and one tear broke and fell down her cheek. She sniffed and smiled. The noise was so loud as the seconds went to sixty, she couldn't say anything. She nodded once, slowly as if she was dreaming. Kurama nodded with her to ask silently, and she answered with more furious nods.

He laughed and she jumped at him encircling her arms around his neck. He held her tight and let out that breath he was unaware he had been holding. He felt his own eyes begin to water and he blinked it away as they parted, and held out the box again. He took off his glove, so he wouldn't drop the ring, and put it in his pocket. She did the same as he picked up the ring from its slot. He slowly slipped the ring onto her finger and inwardly celebrated when he saw it was a perfect fit. She touched the band with her thumb lovingly and smiled at him again.

People had now started counting from ten, and Kurama and Botan pulled themselves from each other's gaze and watched the ball drop slowly as the counting continued.

_Eight_

_Seven_

_Six_

_Five_

_Four_

_Three_

_Two_

_One_

_HAPPY NEW YEAR!_

The whole crowd erupted and screamed with cheers. Botan gave one large "WHOO!" before she turned to Kurama, who had stayed silent through the whole thing. Their expressions matched as they leaned in to close the gap between them. Numerous couples had kissed, all in different ways, but Kurama and Botan were doing more than kissing.

They were melding. Their lips seemed to melt into one another as they both opened their mouths, gliding their tongues against the other. They stopped and rubbed their noses together, then embraced.

She mustered all the vocal she could to go above the crowd. "I love you." She said that in his ear and Kurama felt his heart jump into his throat.

"I love you, too." Again, like her, his voice was louder than it should have been for the moment, but he had to.

They stopped their embrace and smiled at each other again.

Everyone had broken out into a rambunctious tizzy of jumping and screaming and reality came back, making them remember that they were at New Year's. They looked at each other and laughed. Everyone was singing and they couldn't help but join in, Kurama with his arm around his fiancée.

_Should all acquaintance be forgot, _

_And never brought to mind?_

_Should auld acquaintance be forgot,_

_And days o' lang syne?_

_For auld lang syne, my dear,_

_For auld lang syne,_

_We'll take a cup o' kindness yet,_

_For auld lang syne_

~End


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